Assistive Technology Consideration...more than just something to think about!
The term Assistive Technology includes both services and devices. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) defines an AT device as "any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities." An exclusion was added to the definition of an assistive technology device in the 2004 Re-authorization of IDEA to address surgically implanted devices such as cochlear implants. Specifically, it was stated that an assistive technology device “does not include a medical device that is surgically implanted, or the replacement of such device.”
An AT service is "any service that directly assists a child with a disability in the selection, acquisition, or use of an assistive technology device” (e.g., functional evaluation in customary environments, training for student, family, and staff).
AT can help people learn in a school or education environment, compete in the work environment, achieve independence, or improve quality of life. The use of assistive technology is not an end in itself, but part of an ongoing process to improve functional capabilities.
Why is Assistive Technology Important? Assistive technology increases a student’s opportunities for education, social interactions, and potential for meaningful employment. It also supports a student’s participation in learning experiences in the least restrictive environment. Assistive technology is a tool to help the student benefit from the general education curriculum, and access extracurricular activities in home, school, and work environments
The 1997 revision of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) included many new requirements for school districts. One of those new requirements is the group of "special factors" which each IEP team must consider. Assistive technology is one of those special factors. The requirement states simply, "…the IEP Team shall…consider whether the child requires assistive technology devices and services." Although school districts have been required to provide assistive technology devices and services if they are needed for a child to receive a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) since 1990, in many cases assistive technology was treated as a "special" area that was separate from the general delivery of services. In some cases assistive technology was only thought about for children with very severe disabilities or only for those with physical and speech disabilities.
The passage of IDEA ’97 is the first time that each IEP team in every school district has been specifically required to focus on the need for assistive technology, for students with any disabling characteristic. From Bowser, G. and Reed, P. , Education Tech Points; A Framework for Assistive Technology Planning, Winchester
Why should it matter to you? Consideration of AT is outlined in IDEA. It is not a one-time event, but a cycle of procedures that bridges a student's skills with goals. This cycle includes observation, evaluation and recommendation of technology, maintenance and care of devices, reviews of student use for appropriate fit and possible emerging needs, and attending to upgrade of equipment or providing different equipment when necessary.
Important considerations for assistive technology
What is it we want the student to be able to do within the student’s education program (writing, reading, communicating, seeing, hearing) that the student is not able to do because of the disability?
Is the student currently able to complete tasks with special strategies or accommodations?
Is there assistive technology (e.g. devices, tools, hardware or software) currently being used to address this task?
Would assistive technology help the student perform this skill more easily or efficiently, perform it in the least restrictive environment or perform it successfully with less personal assistance?
Factors which may influence the process
Change in environment – in-home to preschool, preschool to kindergarten, classroom to classroom, school to work
Change in student needs/skills – mobility, learning aids, social skills, accomplishing goals
New Technology – newer technology whose features better match the student needs
Important Points
A child’s need for assistive technology must be determined on a case-by-case basis and could be special education, related services or supplementary aids and services for children with disabilities who are educated in the least restrictive environment.
A district must provide a device for use at home if necessary for FAPE. Decisions regarding the use of the assistive technology device or service in other settings outside school must be made on an individual basis.
A school may access alternative funding sources to defray costs of assistive technology devices and services. Schools may not compel parents to file an insurance claim and may not condition provision of equipment or services on filing or approval of a claim.
Consider these sixteen performance areas in the ongoing discussion about AT consideration for a student.
Spelling
Compose Written Material
Mechanics of Writing
Computer Access
Vision
Calculation
Reading
Study & Organizational Skills
Communication
Hearing
Seating & Positioning & Mobility
Listening/Attending
Recreation & Leisure
Activities of Daily Living
Transition to Adult Life
Behavior
Reference the site linked below for clarifying information. http://www.ctdinstitute.org/sites/default/files/file_attachments/AT-Laws.pdf This 2013 FLDOE Technical Assistance Paper (TAP) includes information and guidelines and identifies the responsibilities of the IEP team in determining assistive technology.
The North East Florida Educational Consortium (NEFEC) has produced a series of videos on this TAP, resulting in several modules (A through F). Access this resource at https://www2.nefec.org/fdlrs/technology/.
AT Consideration and the IEP
This brief video outlines the need for AT consideration during the IEP meeting and is an especially good overview for IEP teams.
Examples of Assistive Technology
Augmentative communication systems, including talking computers
Assistive listening devices, including hearing aids, personal FM units, closed-caption TVs and teletype machines (TDDs)
Specially adapted learning games, toys and recreation equipment
Computer and software
Computer-assisted instruction
Electronic tools (scanners with speech synthesizers, tape recorders, word processors)
Curriculum and textbook adaptations (audio format, large print format, Braille)
Copies of overheads, transparencies and notes
Adaption of the learning environment, such as special desks, modified learning stations, computer touch screens or different computer keyboards
Durable medical equipment
Some Examples of Assistive Technology that may pertain to the school environment and must be addressed for consideration by the LEA.
Aids for Daily Living: adapted books, pencil holders, page turners
Aids for Hearing Impaired: assistive listening devices (infrared, FM loop systems), hearing aids, TTYs, visual and tactile alerting systems.
Aids for Vision Impaired: magnifiers, Braille or speech output devices, large print screens.
Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC): communication boards, speech synthesizers, head pointers, text to voice software.
Computer Access Aids: modified or alternate keyboards, switches activated by pressure, sound or voice, touch screens, voice to text software for computer use, speech recognition software, headsticks, light pointers.
Some Examples of Assistive Technology that may pertain to the environment beyond the school setting.
Environmental Controls: Electronic systems that help people control various appliances, switches for telephone, TV, or other appliances which are activated by pressure, eyebrows or breath.
Home/Workplace Modifications: Structural adaptations that remove or reduce physical barriers: ramps, lifts, bathroom changes, automatic door openers, expanded doorways.
Mobility Aids: Devices that help people move within their environments: electric or manual wheelchairs, modifications of vehicles for travel, scooters, crutches, canes and walkers.
Prosthetics and Orthotics: Replacement or augmentation of body parts with artificial limbs or other orthotic aids such as splints or braces. There are also prosthetics to assist with cognitive limitations or deficits, including audio tapes or pagers (that function as prompts or reminders).
Recreation: Devices to enable participation in sports, social, cultural events. Examples include audio description for movies, adaptive controls for video games, adaptive fishing rods, cuffs for grasping paddles or racquets, seating systems for boats.
Seating and Positioning: Adapted seating, cushions, standing tables, positioning belts, braces, cushions and wedges to maintain posture, and devices that provide body support to help people perform a range of daily tasks.
Service Animals: The Americans with Disabilities Act defines a service animal as any guide dog (for visually impaired and blind individuals), signal dog (for hearing impaired or Deaf individuals), or other animal individually trained to provide assistance to an individual with a disability.
Vehicle Modifications: Adaptive driving aids, hand controls, wheelchair and other lifts, modified vans, or other motor vehicles used for personal transportation.
Disclaimer: Content referencing various software, products, organizations and businesses, both non- and for-profit, may be found on several pages of this wiki. FDLRS Gulfcoast does not recommend or endorse any particular entity, nor should inclusion of any software, product, organization or business be viewed as a commercial endorsement by FDLRS Gulfcoast or the FDLRS Project Network. Information included on this site is for informational and educational purposes only.
Assistive Technology Consideration...more than just something to think about!
The term Assistive Technology includes both services and devices. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) defines an AT device as "any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities." An exclusion was added to the definition of an assistive technology device in the 2004 Re-authorization of IDEA to address surgically implanted devices such as cochlear implants. Specifically, it was stated that an assistive technology device “does not include a medical device that is surgically implanted, or the replacement of such device.”
An AT service is "any service that directly assists a child with a disability in the selection, acquisition, or use of an assistive technology device” (e.g., functional evaluation in customary environments, training for student, family, and staff).
AT can help people learn in a school or education environment, compete in the work environment, achieve independence, or improve quality of life. The use of assistive technology is not an end in itself, but part of an ongoing process to improve functional capabilities.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DB9pKkZoJDc
Why is Assistive Technology Important?
Assistive technology increases a student’s opportunities for education, social interactions, and potential for meaningful employment. It also supports a student’s participation in learning experiences in the least restrictive environment. Assistive technology is a tool to help the student benefit from the general education curriculum, and access extracurricular activities in home, school, and work environments
The 1997 revision of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) included many new requirements for school districts. One of those new requirements is the group of "special factors" which each IEP team must consider. Assistive technology is one of those special factors. The requirement states simply, "…the IEP Team shall…consider whether the child requires assistive technology devices and services." Although school districts have been required to provide assistive technology devices and services if they are needed for a child to receive a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) since 1990, in many cases assistive technology was treated as a "special" area that was separate from the general delivery of services. In some cases assistive technology was only thought about for children with very severe disabilities or only for those with physical and speech disabilities.
The passage of IDEA ’97 is the first time that each IEP team in every school district has been specifically required to focus on the need for assistive technology, for students with any disabling characteristic.
From Bowser, G. and Reed, P. , Education Tech Points; A Framework for Assistive Technology Planning, Winchester
Why should it matter to you?
Consideration of AT is outlined in IDEA. It is not a one-time event, but a cycle of procedures that bridges a student's skills with goals. This cycle includes observation, evaluation and recommendation of technology, maintenance and care of devices, reviews of student use for appropriate fit and possible emerging needs, and attending to upgrade of equipment or providing different equipment when necessary.
Important considerations for assistive technology
Factors which may influence the process
Important Points
Consider these sixteen performance areas in the ongoing discussion about AT consideration for a student.
Reference the site linked below for clarifying information.
http://www.ctdinstitute.org/sites/default/files/file_attachments/AT-Laws.pdf
This 2013 FLDOE Technical Assistance Paper (TAP) includes information and guidelines and identifies the responsibilities of the IEP team in determining assistive technology.
The North East Florida Educational Consortium (NEFEC) has produced a series of videos on this TAP, resulting in several modules (A through F). Access this resource at https://www2.nefec.org/fdlrs/technology/.
AT Consideration and the IEP
This brief video outlines the need for AT consideration during the IEP meeting and is an especially good overview for IEP teams.Examples of Assistive Technology
Some Examples of Assistive Technology that may pertain to the school environment and must be addressed for consideration by the LEA.
Some Examples of Assistive Technology that may pertain to the environment beyond the school setting.
Disclaimer: Content referencing various software, products, organizations and businesses, both non- and for-profit, may be found on several pages of this wiki. FDLRS Gulfcoast does not recommend or endorse any particular entity, nor should inclusion of any software, product, organization or business be viewed as a commercial endorsement by FDLRS Gulfcoast or the FDLRS Project Network. Information included on this site is for informational and educational purposes only.